Bloodlines Run Thin
by Iexez
Summary: AU: Kekkai Genkai have become extremely rare since the Clan Wars. When a child awakens a powerful ability, it's a race between the whole Shinobi world to get there first.
_True Kekkai Genkai had not been seen for many years. The tales of men who could create forests and others who could torture minds with merely a look were quickly becoming legends. Now a power awakens in a remote part of the continent that threatens to destroy the fragile peace amongst the shinobi nations._

A figure stalked its way through a forest, covered in a veil of darkness it made its way to a complex on the shore of a grand ocean. The figure moved with grace that was offsetted at times by a slight sort of impatience in its steps. With one great leap the figure cleared five stories to reach the roof top. Standing in the moonlight the figure seemed to disappear in the dark night. Its navy cloak blending in with the surroundings. Removing its hood, the figure's bright blond hair clashed against the night.

"Yo, Shika you there?" The blond haired spector asked after he put his hand up to the small earpiece.

"Naruto what is the point of codenames if you never use them?" He heard an annoyed voice chime in. "You arrive on site?"

"Hehe, my bad Shika. You know I'm not the best at remembering protocol." Naruto smiled sheepishly. "Plus the codenames are so stupid. Maelstrom and Shadow? Pftt that's just stupid, but yeah I just arrived"

"Whatever man. Just grab the target and head back home." Naruto sighed as Shikamaru cut off transmission.

Naruto placed his hands in the tiger seal and channeled his chakra. Explosions rocked the floors of the complex with only a small portion of the top floor left untouched. It took a great deal amount of control from him to keep the blast radius under control from the seals he had placed earlier. He tried not to think of how many he had just killed.

Flipping off the top of the roof and through the window of top floor, he landed in a large office room. Dark smoke rushed out of the opening he had created. A small man with gray hair and circular glasses stood before him with his arms behind his back and a pissed smirk on his face.

"Who. The. Fuck. Are. YOU!" He bellowed in rage.

Naruto felt the air get moister and an unnatural haze began to cloud his vision. He heard what sounded to be a blade cutting through air and managed to dodge as a giant blade struck down at floor where he had been standing.

Konoha – Hokage Tower – Hokages Office

Minato was having a shit day. First, his wife bitches at him for not taking out the trash, I mean come on he is Hokage he has people for that. Second, he had to bail his sensei out for peeping on the female members of anbu. Of all the people, he picks them. Third, he just received a report that a child had just awoken a kekkai genkai!

There hadn't been a kekkai genkai reported since the clan war days. This was some serious shit. This child changed everything about the modern ninja world. Konoha had to get to this kid first. Who knows what those other bastards would do to the kid?

Konoha wanted the kid for power too, but hey they were the good guys. Well at least that's how they perceive themselves. 'Where is this guy? I swear just because you were trained under Kakashi doesn't mean you have to pick up everyone of his stupid habits!' Minato flung some of his paperwork in frustration. 'I trained under Jiraiya for most my life and I'm not perverted at all.'

As soon as he said that his door opened to give way to a teen around his son's height. "Sorry I'm late Hokage-sama. I got lost on the road of life."

Minato's eye twitched at the dark haired youth. Growing up the boy used to be uptight and whiny, now he was just like his old student. Minato didn't which was more annoying. "Shut up Sasuke. We have much to discuss."

Sasuke's apartment - Konoha

Sasuke slipped into his apartment through his window. He made his way to his bedroom and quietly undressed so he wouldn't awaken the sleeping figure in his bed. He slipped into his bed and tried to go to sleep but a pair of hands wrapped around his throat was impeding the process, or perhaps speeding it up.

"You think you can come home late every night and I won't be pissed!" Sasuke stared into his assailants pale blue eyes.

"What was that I couldn't understand you?!" She exclaimed as she loosened her grip.

"I said, Ino I have an excuse this time!" She gave him a look that said "continue" "The Hokage was detailing me on an important S class mission."

"Oh yeah? What was this important mission?" She said as she rolled off him and laid down facing him.

"I'm not allowed to say, Hokage-sama said it was on a need to know basis." Sasuke said as he played with Ino's' hair.

"Oh, how convenient. Need to know basis my ass! You were just late!" Ino humphed and turned away from him.

"It's the truth! Ask Naruto when he gets back. He's my partner on this one." He said as he snuggled up closely to her.

"You're always with him. I swear it feels like you date him instead of me." Sasuke smiled as she accepted his embrace.

"He's nowhere as cute as you." She turned to face him with a small smile on her face.

"I hate you sometimes." She said softly as she pulled him in for a kiss.

"Don't worry, I hate me too sometimes." He said as they broke apart. "I'll be back before you know it."

Wave country - Gato Shipping Yard

"I want him dead Zabuza!" The small man stomped his feet like a child. "Fucking dead!"

Zabuza pulled his sword from the floor and rested it on his shoulder. He narrowed his stony eyes at Naruto. Inspecting him to get a better feel for what kind of danger he could possess. 'The guy's crafty with those seals. I didn't even notice them.' Zabuza's eyes widened as he noticed the blond hair and blue eyes. 'Shit it's the Yellow Flash's kid'.

"Namikaze Naruto, the Second Yellow Flash." Zabuza pointed his sword at Naruto. "It will be an honor to kill you.

Naruto's eye twitched at the title Zabuza gave him. He was the youngest Toad Sage ever! He was A rank in Cloud's bingo book and S in Iwa's. Yet this bastard only cared about his old man.

"Wow man whatever happened to warrior's respect? I'm more than just my father." Naruto dropped down into the toad stance. "Youngest Toad Sage ever, bitch!"

"Hmph, Toad Sage or Flash, you'll die the same!" Zabuza rushed at Naruto and swung his sword horizontally at Naruto's head. Naruto leaned back and pushed his hand forward, hitting Zabuza with a great gust of wind pushing him back. Zabuza dug his sword into the ground to stop himself. Naruto closed the distance before Zabuza could remove his sword from the floor.

A roundhouse kick to the jaw sent the swordsmen crashing into the wall. Zabuza sprang up from the rubble and disappeared into the mist. Creating a couple of water clones to keep Naruto preoccupied for a few moments so he could retrieve his sword. Naruto fought of the the wave of clones and let out a gust of wind to push out the mist.

Zabuza stood before him, sword drawn and a clone on either side of him. "You've mastered your wind affinity. Impressive at such a young age. How old are you? Sixteen?" Zabuza asked as he made the mist seep back in.

"Seventeen, but I was thirteen when I mastered it!" Naruto couldn't help but brag. He got ready as he could no longer see Zabuza. "Why are you working for Gato? You're one of the Seven Swordsmen? You're a hero in Kiri."

"Not anymore kid." Naruto heard a voice say from behind him. Dodging the slash, Naruto grabbed the clone and flipped him over his shoulder. A quick stab to the neck dissolved the clone.

"What happened? I grew up reading about your noble deeds." Naruto closed his eyes as he tapped into Sage Mode. He felt the real Zabuza edge toward Gato and two more clones approaching him quickly.

"I realized that I killed more than I saved. I got jaded." Zabuza's voiced boomed from all directions in the mist. "What good did my village do anyways? The poor littered the streets. They send children out to die."

"So you decide to work for a man that is destroying this small country? What kind of sense does that make!?" Naruto yelled in bewilderment. The two clones leapt at him both swinging their sword down upon him.

"I never said I was perfect. I tried taking the good jobs, but being the hero didn't pay well." Zabuza's voice sounded regretful and distant. "Believe it or not kid, but I haven't killed one person since I started working for Gato."

"But how many have you let die working for that piece of crap!" Naruto yelled as he grabbed one of the clones sword and pushed it through the other one. He axe kicked the final clone onto the floor and finished it with a small Rasengan.

The mist cleared as the final clone was destroyed. A slight breeze rolled through the room as Naruto stood alone in the center of the office. Zabuza had taken Gato a short time ago and was headed North. Naruto could catch up easily, but he decided to let Zabuza take Gato to wherever he was headed. Sage Mode let him track them fairly easily as long he was in moderate range of them.

He hoped that maybe the internal struggle he sensed in Zabuza when he was in Sage Mode would let him do the right thing. Regardless he will follow just to make sure Gato is taken care. Even if he has to put down Zabuza to do it.

Konoha - Hokage Monument

Minato stood perched on top of the First Hokage's head. Looking down at village below, he couldn't help but smile at how quiet it was. It wasn't always like this. Just two years ago was the Fourth Shinobi War. So many lost over a small piece of land.

"You're going to catch a cold standing out here." Minato turned to see his best friend and mentor. "Quite the view though."

"Jiraiya-sensei you look well for a man who got beat down by the elite kunoichi of this village." Minato smiled as he looked back to the village.

"Trust me one of Tsunade's punches hurts a lot more than what I got from them." The tall man let out a grimace as he stood next to his apprentice. "The child has been moved to the Land of Iron. Neutral territory it's going to be difficult."

"Do you know what Kekkai Genkai it is?" Minato placed his hands on top of his head and removed his hat.

"My spy network says the child has no real control over their power, but when unleashed it is devastating. They say the child can stop people in their tracks and control their bodies. Some have managed to resist the child's power however." Jiraiya explained.

"How many know of the child's whereabouts?" Minato put the hat back on his head.

"Just us and Kuma so far."

"Send an Anbu team to search the Land of Iron and find the exact location of the child. I'll send Naruto and Sasuke in as soon as we have all the information we need.

-

This fic will be mostly Naruto centric with major supporting characters sharing some of the spot light.

Next chapter will be longer I promise. If the characters seem OOC it's because they didn't really have to experience the things they did in cannon that made them who they are


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